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The blazing midday sun is burning restlessly the corpses and torn buildings.
Tiny specks of dust, soaking in the bloody mist, seem to dance in the shaft of sunlight that slant through the lifeless streets.
No life is on the street.
All those alive are now being lured into the haunting war zones, itching to fight for the ultimate prize- the glorious survival.
The Uesugimaru castle is now heavily encircled by Ueda’s army.
Ueda is leading 4 thousands warriors ready to break through the East front gate.
Abe the right hand man is watching vigilantly for an opportunity to prey upon the castle from the west gate. Cross bows are loaded and the assault squads of another thousand have climbed and piled up on the upright ladders which would be laid down and lean against the castle walls upon command!
While the rest are gathering around the side gates to prevent any fishes from slipping through the net.
Ueda is riding to the front row, where the two Saints are preparing for the charge. Soldiers on the moat bridge stand aside to allow a freeway for their head-on strike!
”It has taken us too long, Ryoshi and Sayaka! Now I need to see progress! Now I need to see what my investment really worths!”
The Saints step forward. Ryoshi looks at Sayaka with solicitude. She smiles and nods to him.
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Just when Sora fled, Ryoshi had tried hard to comfort Sayaka who was suffering from both the fear and side effect of the overdosing of the Elixir.
”THOSE EYES! THOSE EYES ARE THERE! They are back…….Ryoshi! They are back!” Sayaka was shaking.
”NO! They were not! They were dead! We killed them all, long time ago!” Ryoshi grabbed her shoulders hard, so hard that he tried to induce enough pain to recall her consciousness. Ryoshi could see her pupils gradually contracted. He cuddled her hard until she started cry like a baby.
”An’t no fxxk you up again! Don’t you remember?…..”Ryoshi’s tone turned soft while continued, “Just imagine, Sayaka! Freedom! He promised us, the freedom we have almost forgotten….so please! Trust me, trust yourself! Together, WE CAN BEAT THE SUCCESSOR!”
Ryoshi could feel the tremors of Sayaka. He knew that she could hear him at last. His hands kept moving all around her body, just like the way a queen licking her kitten in order to appease her fear and uneasiness.
Just like what he did when they were kids.
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The horn is blown, surprisingly blown from inside of the Castle!
The front East gate is opened, standing behind hundreds of warriors on their stirring steeds-
“CHARGE!” Youta yells to initiate the raid. Hundreds of arrows are flying from behind like swarm of locusts! Sora and Aki are riding beside of Youta. Three of them lead the assault team to storm through the moat bridge and straight to Ueda! The cavalry takes the advantage of mobility on their steeds and turfs the enemies off the moat bridge directly.
Ueda rises his hand. Layers of stalwarts holding huge shields to withstand the arrows and throwing spears. Youta orders to stop the charge immediately. While Sora turns sideway and tries to break through the siege.
”Ryoshi! Don’t let her escape!” Sayaka yells and leaps over the crowd to chase her sole target. “Wait for me!” Ryoshi follows immediately.
“Damn!” Ueda feels the inevitable teething problem of losing control of the key players already. But he knows it wouldn’t cause much trouble as long as they are keeping the Successor busy and his number of players still suppressing his opponents’.
But he may miscalculate another factor- Aki. She is swinging a pair of HOOK SWORDS, without even holding the rein. She hooks one sword to another, linking them together as a mid-range weapon and wielding them fiercely around. No one comes close to her!
”Take her down!” Ueda orders his trump cards- squad of Bio-boosted Samurais (those stimulated by the mysterious power of the Elixirs) to deal with the Mornga.
”UEDA!!!!!” Youta uses his spear to crush an opening through the defensive border. He takes out his cross bow immediately,
and shoots at Ueda’s head!
One of the side gates on the North opens. Motoya leads another cavalry squad out. Behind them are several enormous coaches. “Hurry!” Motoya shouts.
They have examined from watch-tower to make sure that here is the weakest point of the siege.
But they fail to identify how many enemies are hiding under the water surface of the moat!
Hundreds of Ueda’s men emerge and climb up while Motoya are trying to pass the bridge.
“Retreat! Retreat!” Motoya yells and turn around his steed. He draws his Holy Sword. Swing hard to shoot out his 【Tiger Rend】, managing to stop those trying to approach the coach.
But it is too late! Ueda’s men have taken control of the gate and more and more enemies are swarming through the gate into the Castle. Motoya cannot stop them. He is too busy to protect the coaches! Then a huge figure stomps on top of one of the coach- a tall samurai in an Oni mask- he is the leader of the Bio-boosted Squad.
”LEAVE THESE PEOPLE TO ME! The rest of you, CAPTURE THE CASTLE NOW!” The Oni Face stares at Motoya, “and little boy! Die now! No one is going to save you this time…..”
Motoya leaps onto the coach. “Let us finish it here!”
Meanwhile at the West, piles and piles of soldiers are climbing onto the Castle wall via the long ladders. Asano Kouichi, this time, has to fortify this spot on his own… But the difference in number of manpower makes the situation simply irremediable. Asano and his team can only fight to flee….. Abe stands on the Castle wall and shouts arrogantly,
“It is too late to raise white flags! Soldiers of Ueda, KILL WITH NO MERCY!” Abe’s eyes are filled with murderous rage and animal instinct. He has thirsted to conquer this place since the shameful failure this morning.
Ueda tilts his head barely able to dodge Youta’s shot. A deep scratch is left on his face. Instead of fear, pain and insult drive the Commander mad.
”YOUTA!!!!” He chooses to feed his own sword with Youta’s blood.
Youta drops his cross bow and parry Ueda’s slash with his wakizashi then thrusts him with the katana. Ueda pulls to rear up his horse, dodging the attack and intimidates Youta’s steed to step back. He slashes Youta’s shoulder while his steed is stomping back onto the floor. Youta’s armor is cracked and a deep wound is made.
Youta bites his teeth and turns around.
“Retreat! Retreat!” He cues his steed to go fast while ordering his team to ride back to the Castle.
”Coward!” Ueda roars in anger and lead the whole troop to tailgate his enemies into the Castle.
The whole sannomaru (the third compound of the castle structure right behind the castle wall) is filled with Ueda’s people now. Youta can hardly stop Ueda from breaking into the main building now…..
Aki slowly gets down the horse. She holds the two hook swords in each hands.
“INTERESTING….” MORNGA mode turns on. She is going against three on her own.
One samurai yells and swings his giant Tachi from above. Mornga doesn’t dodge. She parries by hooking the Tachi in opposite directions. She grins and then pulls the hooks apart, shattering the Tachi immediately.
Simultaneously she hooks one sword with the other, linking them together and she wields them to her back without turning around.
”ARRRRR!” Blood splashed on her back. A samurai, failed to assault from her back, covers his throat with his hand and faints on the ground.
”One down…..”
The samurai, losing his Tachi, picks up two spears from the ground. The third samurai draws his katana while holding a giant ono (axe) in his left hand.
The spears thrust! Each attack and retreat is fast and precise. Mornga keeps swinging both swords like tornados to parry them. But the spears are moving too fast and the horizontal movement make them hard to be hooked.
Mornga doesn’t stop moving. She keeps stepping back fast like a snake to avoid being assaulted by the other samurai from the back.
Cling! Cling! Weapons- broken swords, axes and even helmets from the deceased on the ground are arisen from and thrown towards the approaching samurai. Mornga uses the blade along the hilt to parry the attack while hooking and throwing the missiles from the ground like a catapult.
The spears become impatient. They alter their trails suddenly from thrusting to slashing trying to manipulate Mornga’s movement.
She grins. Dashing forward instead of stepping back. Though the samurai manages to cut few wounds on her limbs, he also fails to move backward in order to maintain an effective attacking range for his spears any more. The dancing swords are flying close to devour him soon.
As Mornga is focusing on his partner, the other samurai takes the chance to throw the axe at her back while at the same time charges and thrusts at her back.
It is a miss.
She leaps in the air to dodge both the axe and the thrust and steps on the spearman’s head, who has just abandoned his ranged weapons and is bending to grab the swords on the ground.
The girl turns around, links the hook swords and wields it like a silver dragon flying in midair.
The axeman is beheaded.
Mornga descends onto the samurai beneath with her knee hitting real hard at his neck…CRACK! The samurai cannot even scream while his throat is hooked through by Morgan’s sword brutally.
“ALL DOWN!” Aki smiles and tries to clean the blood on her swords by wiping them on the body of the samurai.
“Who wanna play with Aki now?”
The soldiers are stunned and dare not to approach.
Motoya is having a tough fight with his opponent! The Captain is far stronger than the others. They are still fighting on top of the coach. But most of Ueda’s men have already intruded the Castle via the side gate.
“Little boy, I became the leader of my Dojo when I was at your age! And I gave up everything to seek a much superior power! My Dojo! My honor! My family! Even my SOUL! Don’t you think you can outdo me on your own?”
Motoya doesn’t answer. He has learnt from Sora that these Bio-boosted samurais are like no other- they are physically reinforced in every way: Strength, dexterity, endurance and even willpower. But one thing Sora emphasized: they are never SMARTER!
He is waiting until the last man has passed through the gate into the castle.
The Captain keeps stomping on the coach. He is not only trying to unsteady Motoya’s stance but also to intimidate the refugees inside the coach, frightening them to scream pathetically in order to clout his spirit!
Yet….nothing happens inside the coach no matter how hard he stomps on it: No scream, no complaint, not even any noticeable vital signs!
”I never think about beating you on my own,” Motoya steps backward slowly steadily, “we are fighting a WAR, not a tournament, idiot!” He kneels suddenly and throws a detonator inside the coach. Then he jumps off immediately.
”WHAT THE????” The coach blows up. The blast is never powerful enough to kill the Captain though. But the spectacle of sounds, colors and brightness has stunned him long enough until he realizes what exactly are hiding inside the coach- FIREWORKS, no refugees, no dynamite, just the residual fireworks prepared for celebrating the Awa Dance Festival few days ago!
“BRAT! Don’t you think you can escape me!” The Captain swings his Tachi vigorously. A gust of wing blows away the smoke. Motoya is still standing in front of him. His eyes are filled with confidence.
The Captain now realized- the fight on the coach was a decoy. Motoya was just procrastinating…..until all his men rushed inside the Castle!
”Damn! IT IS A TRAP!” “It is too late!”
The second round begins. The 4 feet long Tachi are flying in a supersonic speed. The air around the Captain is like exploding. Motoya can hardly move close to make any attack. He needs to alter his strategy.
His steps becomes bouncy and unpredictable. Sometime like a butterfly, but more often like a drunk man! This is Motoya’s style 【Ripple Dance】he learnt from Sora. He calls it 【Drunk Dance】.
You looks too hilarious, Motoya san. Please don’t use it if I am around. I may not stop laughing at you….!
He reversely grips his sword, significantly reduces his attacking range. On the other hand, this effective defensive maneuver by laying the blade against his forearm, against his body can take almost all blow while facilitate his move to sneak up to his target.
In this tremendous short distance, the Tachi becomes almost useless! Instead Motoya’s blade could still be wielded and inflict damages to the close target as he dances around! He spins while squatting down. Cutting almost every inches from top to toe on The Captain’s armor! Then he makes use of the spinning momentum to knock the Captain down with his knee kick at his calf.
The Captain roars, “Back off you poovy!” He sprints in his kneeling position with all his might, his shoulder smashes hard on Motoya’s chest, blowing him away.
Motoya thrusts the sword into the ground to stop himself from flying. The blow is really powerful. His chest still hurts.
The Captain doesn’t pursue though.
Fragments of metal are falling from his body as he stands up slowly. Now that they are akin. He has no edge over Motoya now, in terms of defensive power.
”This is not Okada’s. You learn that bitchy move from the Successor, did you?”
”No.” Motoya replies, “I created that myself.”
“I have to admit, you have talent! Join us. And you will be restructured into a much superior being, like me!”
”I will be stronger! But I need not give up anything in order to be strong! I choose to give away all my passions, my dreams and the commitments to my friends and family! I will make it alongside them!”
“How ignorant!”
They hold their swords with both hands. Staring each other. They know that they are going to end the fight soon.
”Taiiiiiiii” “Huh!” They charge towards each other!
Tachi is slashing from above. It is simple and direct. Motoya knows a parry may simply knock his Holy Sword off his grab. He chooses to dodge.
The Tachi misses but it turns to thrust. Motoya has to tilt and move his head fast to avoid them. Still, he couldn’t manage to come close enough to make a blow. The difference in bodies’ height and the 4 feet attacking range seem unfavorable to Motoya.
The Captain suddenly squats down and slashing from below.
Motoya, concentrating on fortifying attack from above, almost loses his balance after dodging the slash. He reverse grips the Holy Sword and presses it real hard on the ground to avoid himself from falling backward.
The Holy Sword is bent to its limit.
The Captain stands tall and makes his most powerful slash from above. Motoya cannot dodge with his current stance!
Die! Little Boy!
The bending Sword is released and the energy storing inside bursts while Motoya strikes upward with his reverse grip like a coughing Tiger leaping over its prey! The Sword cuts through the air, fast and furious as a shooting star that leaves a sparking trail in midair.
CLING!!!! The Tachi is shattered into pieces and blood is spurting from Captain’s chest like a fountain.
”……IMPRESSIVE! This….is not from Okada either!” The samurai hobbles backward before he falls onto the ground.
”I made this- Motoya’s 【Shooting Star】疾風流星劍！”
”……..GREAT…” The Captain dies. The fight ends.
“Uesugi Sama! This Castle is your father’s legacy. He built this monument to manifest the power of your family! Please think carefully again…”
Inside the Great Hall, right before the last battle started, all the people were summoned to listen to details of the last military operations designed by their Commander, Uesugi Youta.
“You are right, Asano! Absolutely right. But it doesn’t belong to the PEOPLE!” Youta looked at his men when he said.
Asano and Sukishiro ducked their heads without saying anything.
”People here do not need this Castle! This thing does not give them protection! It just protected rulers like us.” Youta turned to Okami Ai, “but now, I no longer am their ruler! I am one of them! They trust me to lead them so I swear my life to protect them and serve them!”Ai breathed out a series of smoke, but she still avoided any eye contact with him after slapping hard on his face.
Sora smiled and nodded- this is the Justice rooted in Equality she dreams about!
”So, let us BURN IT DOWN! Let us bury our greed and exploitation together with those thieves, those murderers!”
“Here is the plan: Motoya san, please use the decoy to lure them inside via the side gates! Asano and Sukishiro, the West wall is up to you both. Make sure to avoid any head to head confrontation. And for the most dangerous part,” Youta turned and bowed to Sora to say, “Sora Sama, I beg for your assistance. I can deal with Ueda and his army. But we are no match for the Saints, except you!”
”Rest assured, Youta Sama. I can handle them. And no one else except me should do that.” Sora concerned about Sayaka after she had met her. She had a gut feeling that her peculiar condition was a sign of a bigger and darker conspiracy which might be related to herself.
“As for the finishing stroke, Oshima san, please set this place in fire when they are all in! Please make sure to turn everything on!”
Ai breathed out another swirl while staring at Youta’s eyes of determination. Youta at that moment could sense a mixed feeling inside her beautiful eyes.
The cavalry were ready. And the gate was opened to welcome War.
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All that Ueda wants now is to crush Youta and his army then take over the Castle as soon as possible. Uesugi clan has never been Tenno’s concern even though they have turfed the Royalties and seized control of the central part of Tusa(土佐）many years ago.
They are weak, small scaled and unorganized.
But since war started, Ueda has experienced unexpectedly fierce resistance and counter-attacks rendering the situation sticky and full of hiccups.
How can the Invincible Ueda face his followers or competitors when such embarrassment spread all over the Yamato! He needs to end this as soon as possible. To erase all the mistakes he has been making so far.
But arrogance can fool one’s judgement and hence making more mistakes.
“Commander! We don’t see any traces of enemy inside!” Abe reports to Ueda. He has stormed through the castle wall and been chasing Asano and Sukishiro down to the main building. But he just missed them in midway.
”Forget about those minions! Everyone follow me to capture Youta!” Ueda gets down his steed and climbs up the staircase. All his people just follow him.
Then they smell the dangers finally.
Smoke and fire break out everywhere in the blink of an eye. Now that they notice they are walking on floors soaked in combustible oil. The fire spreads all over the wooden structure in an unstoppable way.
“Damn! It is a trap!” Abe shouts and rushes down immediately before Ueda making any order. Once he rejoices to be the first one escaped from the inferno, an arrow shoots through his throat, preventing him from making his last cheer.
They now know where all the Youta’s armies are:
INSIDE THE CASTLE WALL! The extraordinary thick walls were built with large cavities, large enough to contain thousands of people inside with levels and layers. Youta has arranged all the weak and elderlies on the upper decks inside, leaving the outer layer and lower levels the secret chambers for his soldiers to hide within, once all the Ueda’s men has fallen into the trap.
All the soldiers are trapped between the devil and sea. They can choose being burnt alive, buried by the fallen debris or executed by archers and warriors stationing and shooting all around the main building. Some hopeless soldiers are dropping weapons on the floor and stepping outside with white flags in their hands. Asano orders to bind them without killing them.
”This is not the end yet……” Ueda is witnessing the chaotic and desperate fallen moments. He knows he has lost already. But he would never beg for mercy.
And he still has one thing to do before he dies.
”YOUTA!!!! SHOW YOURSELF!” He keeps climbing up the staircase despite the fire has already endangered the stability of the building.
Until he hears soft moan of a woman.
Ryoshi can hear the scream inside the Castle. Then the smoke raising from inside.
“……Ueda, you loser!” He grins. Now that his client might have failed, Ryoshi is more than happy to confirm the termination of their deal.
”We can now fight in our own will, Sora the Successor.”
Sora is standing besides the moat. She ties her steed on a tree nearby.
”Is that true? Is that what you really want? To win? Or to kill me?”
“No! We were told that YOU SHALL LIVE. But that doesn’t mean we cannot defeat you. All we need is just to capture you and bring you to HIM! Then, we will be awarded FREEDOM!”
”……I see. If that is the case, take me then. Just take me to your Master.”
Ryoshi and Sayaka are shocked. They never expected such response from Sora.
“…..you may just be risking your life! Why?”Sayaka still doesn’t believe what she just heard.
”If conflict can be resolved without violence, I will take the chance.”
Sayaka and Ryoshi looks at each other. Then they burst into laughter.
How is that possible? How can someone supposed to be your enemy, risk her own life to help you without asking any remuneration, with no hesitation? Too good to be true!
”But yet, there are still business here I need to take care of before I leave”
Sora has yet to finish her statement before someone emerges from the back of Ryoshi and makes an assault!
”Ryoshi!” Sayaka, who has never gotten her guard down, pushes his partner away while trying to parry the assault from a samurai, in her crimson armor,
”NO! AKI! Stop it!” Almost at the same time, Sora throws her Hell Blade towards Aki’s hook sword.
”Arrrr!” A deep wound is left on her back!
CLANG! The girl uses another sword to block the Hell Blade. It is surprisingly powerful that manages to blow her away from the Saints. It then bounces back to Sora’s hand.
”Sayaka!” Ryoshi dashes to take care of her partner. She is kneeling painfully with her hand covering her wound. She is bleeding seriously.
Sora puts back the sword into the scabbard. She tries to suppress Aki without implying too much violence on her. But it is not as easy as she thinks.
She is more MORNGA THAN AKI now!
”SORA! If you want to kill yourself, please go! But don’t dream about dragging me into this mess!” Mornga swings her hook swords like butterflies’ wings. The sunset glare reflects from the dancing blades are dazzle. Sora simply closes her eyes and thrusts her scrabbad through the tiny spaces in between. Mornga still manages to dodge by waving her head here and there.
“Taiiiii!” Sora places the sword horizontally and pushes it forward, successfully suppressing the aggression of the dancing swords. Mornga is just fast enough to parry by placing both swords vertically in front. But the blow is strong enough to press her blade against her body, effectively paralyzing.
”Help! Sora! Help Aki! Aki does not want to fight Sora!”
Sora is slightly awed. But she realize immediately. “You are not Aki!”
Mornga grins. Sora feels a strong gust of wind behind her. She hits the scabbard with her palms. A great force is transmitted via it to blow Morgan away.
She spins and back kicks away the Eku. Mornga just leaps over her and wields her linked swords towards Ryoshi’s head. Sora pulls out the Hell Blade and waves upward to stop Mornga’s slash. And she thrusts Ryoshi’s chest with the scabbard.
Ryoshi places the Eku along his chest to parry the scabbard.
DONG!!!!! Ryoshi feels like hitting by a Shu-moku (the suspended wooden beam to ring a bell inside the shrine)!
The great forces transmit via the Eku to his grab. Almost crushes all his ten fingers.
“Huh!” Ryoshi almost drops the Eku. He ducks his head to allow the giant Shurinken flying across him towards Mornga!
Mornga disconnects the hooks and tries to parry the approaching Shurinken with both.
“NO!” Sora flips back to make a one-handstand and kicks upward, just hit the underside of the charging beast. This slightly modifies the incident angle of the Shurinken and Mornga can hardly hit on the underside in order to push it away! But it still cuts a few bangs of her.
Sayaka uses her knee and calf to stop Ryoshi from bouncing away. She applies force on him and Ryoshi prostrates and dashes, swinging his Eku at Sora’s head, who is still hand-standing.
Sora pushes herself upward. Dodges the Eku. She flies in midair, makes a half spin, putting the sword back inside the scabbard and smashes powerfully downward.
Ryoshi raises his Eku and parries with both hands. He is immediately forced to kneel on the ground!
Sora, in midair, uses the Eku as the platform to leap and perform a flying kick in order to stop Sayaka from approaching.
Sora flips back onto ground in between Mornga and the Saints and yells,
”Stop! This fight is meaningless!”
”Liar! Don’t try to fool us again! You two conspire to raid us!” Sayaka shouts. Blood has soaked half of her body red already.
”You need curing immediately. Stop fighting and I guarantee your safety!”
Ryoshi doesn’t reply. He turns to examine Sayak who is breathing heavily with her wriggling face.
”Good! You do your salvation here. I need to leave this place. HE IS CALLING ME NOW!” Mornga turns and tries to leave.
”WHAT DID YOU SAY?” Sora is surprised. While she turns to her, Mornga suddenly swirls around her and tries to hook on Ryoshi’s back, who is paying too much attention on his partner.
“STOP THAT!” Sora parries the hooks. While Ryoshi spins and swings his Eku, like a reflex action, towards his back.
It hits hard on Sora’s waist! She is blown immediately. Sora spits blood while still laying on the ground. The Iron Eku can easily crushes a 3 feet thick granite stone with Ryoshi’s maneuver. Though Sora’s body is built differently since the Enlightenment, but series non-stop fight and the wound on his abdomen has weakened her a lot.
This blow just induced serious internal injury on her!
”Poor Sora! I am sorry that I cannot join the last farewell with them. But I WILL REPLACE YOU AS THE BLIGHT! So bye now!” Mornga laughs and rides away on her own steed.
Sora stands up slowly. Her eyes are turning red…..but she tries hard to suppress her wrath and pain.
YOU CAN DO THAT, MY FRIEND!
”Haru….please! Let me help THEM!”
Ryoshi and Sayaka are coming close.
”Sora. There is no need to fight now. Come with us and you will get what you wanna know.” Ryoshi says. He did appreciate Sora’s help and felt a bit guilty for friendly fried her.
”……I can’t do that now. Stay here….until I bring her back.” Sora says.
”……”Ryoshi doesn’t answer.
”Liar. And you Devil! Don’t! Don’t trust THEM! Don’t trust those Devilish Eyes!!!” Sayaka is screaming from the back. She is cumulating her last power onto her Shurinken…..
Ryoshi just realizes THOSE RED EYES of Sora. He knows what Sayaka is going to do next. His mind is struggling:
Should I stop her? What if she is right? What if the Successor is fooling us?
And what if we can defeat her now? Then everything will be alright! We accomplish our mission,
and we will be rewarded FREEDOM!
Sora’s eyes are switching between normal and reddish, reflecting the battle inside her mind. The Hell Blade inside her hands is vibrating as well. Like a hungry beast struggles to break the bound and to feast its prey alive!
Ryoshi has made up his mind. In fact he can no longer stop Sayaka who has shot out her Shurinken already. The spinning blade sucks the abandoned weapons and broken swords all around and charges like a tsunami to devote everything on its way.
Ryoshi waits until it bypassed him, then he swings his Eku with all his might onto the Shurinken!
The Tsuchigumo (Earth Spider) is being transformed into a Kasha （火車Burning Chariot) as the sparks generated from smashing the two heavy metals set the whole thing on fire!
Ryoshi’s Eku is bounced off his grab and sinked deeply into the ground as well.
The Kasha is about to bulldoze everything including Sora.
She CLOSES HER EYES! And thrusts the burning Hell Blade into the ground in front of herself!
Thousands of Reddish Blades shot up from the surface of the ground, like the flaming fins on the back of the dragon emerging from the melting ground! The Blades stop the Kasha, penetrate it and shatter it into pieces! While the Dragon keeps on charging towards the Saints. The Blades materialize into crystals and thrusting and piercing their feet and legs with no mercy!
Smokes and dusts are settled. The Saints faint on the ground. The Diabolic Sword DOES NOT KILL THEM but demobilized them (at least by now), making them unable to fight now. Sora opens her eyes. They looks peaceful and clear now.
She manages to suppress the BEAST inside once again.
”You can stay here. I guarantee Youta Sama will not hurt anyone who cannot fight.” Sora walks towards her steed. Ready to set off to chase Aki. “And as I promised you before, I will follow you two to see your Master.”
Sayaka is laughing on the ground. The laughter sounds ironically sad but stressless.
“We lose….at the end.” Sayaka self-deprecates but she does not regret to fight, to fight her fear.
”No….we did not. We just won back our dignity! We are FREE now. We should not be under any control. From now on, we fight for our own!” Ryoshi crawls to hold her hands.
Sayaka bursts into joyful tears. She sees future in his eyes.
But tragically,
it only lasts for a short while.
A Giant Tessen surfs down like a vampire from a tree top nearby towards them.
Ryoshi uses his body to cover Sayaka. It swipes deep at his back. Breaking his span and killing him instantly!
Thankfully this leaves his last smiling face intact til the last moment of his life.
RYOSHIIIIIIIII!
Only Sayaka’s squeal can accompany him on his way to Yomi (黃泉Hell).
ns 18.68.41.148da2
